Vending machine



RICLBURNHAW. VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.5.I92I.

` Patented Aug. L 1922;,

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

gian/rw' H. C. BURNHAIW.

vVENDING MACHINE. y APPLICATION FILED IAN. 5, I92`I.

1L AMI I 5m IPAIADIACI Aug., I, 1922,.

. v 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' @www Eoin-erf Cvraag arrllam. l

R. C. BURNHAM.

' VENUING MACHINE..

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

R.' C. BURNHAIVI.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION f lLED JAN. 5. 1921.

LAQ@ 1l 5U.

, Patented Aug. L 1922.

4 SHEETS-sash 4.

f lDHl'G MACHINE.

't Ad, 150...

Specieation of Letters llPatent. i

application 1ed January 5, 1921. Serial No. 435,125. n

To all whom it may concern Beit known that l, ROBERT CRAIG BURN- HAM, a citizen of Richland Center, in the county of Richland and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Vending the following is a specication. A

My invent-lon has reference. more particularly to a Vmachine of the type which is rendered operable, by inserting a coin, to extract a package or article therefrom, as, for example, gum, fruit tablets, or similar articles.

ln dispensing articles of this character, .itV is desirable to have a machine in which a variety of diHerent articles may be contained, and have. coin controlled ejecting means which enables the operator to select any one of the variety of articles and remove saine :trom` the machine upon inserting the proper coin.

The principal objects of my invention are i to provide a dispensing machine having magazines for a number of different articles, any one of which may be selected vat the will of the operator and removed from the magazine; to provide a plurality of magazines having a single ejector which may be adjusted to select and remove an article from any one of ,the magazines; to provide an improved' coin control lor the e]ecting magazine; to provide convenient displayY compartments oo fr winding to. the. posi` tions of adjustment ot the eyecting mechanism and indieat' thexarticlewhich will be procured Ltroni t e e, and, in general, to provide anrimproved vending inachine which is simple inexpensive and may be utiliz@ to .a large number of diderent articles without the necessitv of having a sepa-mechanism for eac article. I

On the draWingSQ--- Fig. l is ai front niewot' a vending machine` constrained in acooce with my invention and having portions of the casing broken awayto details of theV ejecting mech;

f Fig. '2, a .vertical ional view on the linepZ-Q of 1;

Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view on the line 3-13 of lFig. 1;

Fig. i. a horizontal sectional view on the f line of Fig. 2; and

Machines, of which 1 F ig. 5, a fragmentary view 'of the display compartments on the line 5--5 of F ig. 2;

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral l indicates a cabinet of an suitable form having a horizontal partition 2 located at a distance above the base 3, ot the cabinet to provide a compartment -l for the ejecting mechanism. Above-this partition are front and krear walls 5 and 6 which are parallel with and spaced respectively from the front and rear walls of the cabinet and have vertical division plates 7 extending therebetween to form a plurality of magazines 8, each of which is adapted to contain a stack of packages `9 of gum or fruit tablets'and the like which are commonly put up in package form so as to be readily dispensed in a. vending machine of this character. A .large opening 10 of a width corresponding to the combined width of the. magazines 8 is provided in the front wall of the cabinet and closed with a win.` dow 11 through which articles therebehind are visible, and the space between the window 11 and the wall 5, which forms the front of the magazines, is separated by vertical division plates 12 spaced apart to form a displaycompartment 13 in front of each magazine 8 in which packages or articles maybe placed in an upright position. as shown at 14 in Fig. 2. to indicate to the purchaser the contents of the cahi- ROBERT CG BURNHAM, 0F HIGHLAND CENTER, WISCONSIN.

net. and the particular kind of article which will be delivered by the machine when the eject-ing mechanism is set to register with the particular display compartment.

The partition 2 which forms the bottom of the magazines 8 is extended .to the front. wall of the cabinet Lwhieh latter has a slot 15 directly' abovetlie partition 2 and extending across the front of the cabinet to provide an outlet from all of the magazines 8, said slot being of a suitable vertical dimension to permit a single article from any of the magazines 8 to pass therethrough. 'lhe front wall 5 oit the magazines terminates 'at the level ot the upper edge of the slot and has a flange 16 extending forwardly therefrom 'to afford a bottom closure for the Mit' saidhlock having an arm 19 secured thereto block 18 may be adjusted along the rod 17.

tension of the spring 25.

YA stem 58 projectsl rearwardly from the block 18 and has Va frame 22 mounted to slide thereon, said vframe consisting of a plate with end portions 23 and 24 bent lati erally therefrom -and provided with apertures for the stemr58. There isa spring 25' on the stem 58 bearing at one endg against the block 18 and atthe other end 'against the portion 23 of the frame 22 so as to hold the latter at the rear of the stem 58 against the head 26 with which the stem 58 is provided. The 'inturned portion 23 of the frame 22 has an arm 27 extending downwardly therefrom and formed with a pair of rearwardly extending forks 28 and 29 atv the lower end, the arms of eachcof which embrace the square shaft 30, which shaft extends from side to side of the machine and has the ends journaled in the bearings 31 so that the shaft may be oscillated.' Mounted on the shaft 30 between the forks 28 and 29 is a crank arm 32 which has asquare aperture slidably fitting the square/shaft 30 so that the crank arm 32 may be adjusted lengthwise of the shaft 30. and is caused to turn with the shaft 30 in any position of adjustment therealong, and this crank arm 32 has a. roller 33 at the upperend engaging against the rear face of the depending arm 27 of the frame` 22 so that when the shaft 30 is rotated in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3, the frame 22 kis moved forwardly on the shaft 58 against the Pivoted at 34 on the frame 22- is an angular member having an upwardly extending arm 35 and a forwardly extending arm 42. The arm 35 projects above the partition 2, which is cut away at 36 to provide an opening along which the upper end of the arm 35 travels when the ejecting mechanism is adjusted to register with the various magazines, and there are slots 37 in the partition 2 extending from thecut-away place 36 under each magazine 8 to admit the upper end of the arm 35 when the latter is moved forwardly to eject an article from the magazine. The rear wall of each magazine is cut awayvv directly above each slot 37, as at 38, to form a passageway for the upper end of the arm 35, and the rear extremities of the portions of the partition 2 between the slots 37 are tapered. as at 39, so as to direct the arm 35 into the proper slot 37 in case the arm may not be adjusted to exactly align with the slot 37. A lug 40 projects laterally from the trame 22 behind the arm 35 to prevent the latter from tipping back when the frame 22 is moved forwardly to cause the arm 35 to `eject a package from one of the compartments, and .this arm i 35 normally held in. upright'position against the stop-40 by a .light spring 41 which has the forward end of the angular member.

When the frame 22 has been moved' wardly to eject the lowermost article from 4 connected to the block 18 and the rear end 2 connected to the forward end of the arm'i'42v themagaz'ine and the latter removed from1- themagaz'me' the stack of articles thereabove dropsdown in the magazine, fandQat such'.` time the arm 35 swings forwardly-onlibe shaft v34 to the fposition shown by.. dottctllilies in Fig.` 2, so that the stacker articles.` l

in the magazines does not interfere* with the return movement of' the member 35,.which latter, asit passes out fromunder-.thestack'- of articles, is causedv to assumeV the upright lposition by reason of the .pullofthe sprlng 41:v on the arm 42. .y Y u For controlling the operation ofthe ejectf ,ing mechanism,th'ere is a narrow casing 4 3 at one side ofthe machine 'having' a distance between the lateral wallssubstantiallyequal to the thickness of the coin which is fre-"f"v 'V quired to be deposited in payment of thejarfv ticle 4which is tobe removed, and this casingl has a block 44 mounted to slide therein and' connected by the link 45 with the 'outer end. of the crank arm 46 carried by the-shaftf30i A coin chute 47 leads fromthe front of' vthe machine downwardly into thecasing 43-jdi rectly above the normal position of the slide 44 so that a coin inserted in the upper end .y

of the chute 47 will be delivered byl .gravity 1, 10Q'.

into the casing 43 and held the-rein against the rear wall of the casing 43 and. supported j by the block 44.

Mounted in the casing 43 directly above; the lower end of the chute 47V is another Y l '1.05,l

block 48 which has a pin 49 extending later-l ally through a slot 50 in the side wall of the casing 43 and engaged in a slot v51 of the lever 52 which 'is pivoted at its rear end, as at 53, on a bracket 54 and projects forwardly through a slot 5`5' in the front wall of the machineiand has a linger grip 56 at the forward end. The range of movementv of the lever 52 is such that when there is no coin interposed between the blocks 44 and 48 the operation of the lever 52 will have no effect on the blocks44, but whenga coin is interposed between the blocks, as indicated at 57 in Fig. 3, the coin forms a connection between the blocks so that the downward l. .120

movement of the lever 52 moves the blocks 44 downwardly and through the link 45, and g the crank arm 46 rotates the shaft 30 in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 3) and through gaetano i@ movement of the lever 52, and the upperedge of the block all is arranged at a rear-y ward and downward inclination and the lower portion ot the block t8 at a rearward and upward inclination so that these two i edges act upon the periphery ot the coin,

when the lever 52 is depressed, in such a manner as to-cause the coin to be ejected from between the blocks .dft and t8 out through the opening 59. A chute 60 leads 2o trom the4 opening59 to convey the coin into the compartment d at the base or the machine, and there is a door hl at the back of the machine-leading into this compartment which adords access tor removing the coins." `ln using this machine, each ot the com pertinents 8 is filled with a stack ot articles,

v suchas packages otchewing gum, fruit tablets, or the like, the top ot the cabinet l being i hinged or otherwise removable to enable the tilling ofthe vmagazines and compartments 13 to be readily edected. Each compartment if 13 is lled with articles ot the samelnnd as contained in the magazine directly thereben hind, these articles being setu on end, one above the other, as shown in ig.2, so'that the wrapper ot the article is visible through f the glass 1l and indicates the character ot the -article which one may secure by setting'the rejecting' mechanism in 4Q ular compartment.

To obtain an article trom this machine, the indicator 2l. is grasped by the purchaser and adjusted transversely ot the machine in trent ot the .particular compartment 13 containing line with that partic-` ttithe article desired, and when so positioned the arm 35 ot the ejecting mechanism is directly in line with the slot 37 ot the magazine 8 directly behind such compartment i3. A coin is then inserted in the upper end ot the to coin chute d? and travels downwardly there- 'in into the casin and Lt8 where it is held by engagement with the rear wall ot the casing 43. The lever 56 is then depressedfso as to move the blocksd .at downwardly infthe casing 43, and because of the coin 57 being interposed therebetween, lthe block 4A is forced downwardly in the casing t3 by the operation ot. the lever 52 and rotates the shaft- 30, through the link t5 and the crank arm d6, a partial turn in a counter ,clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3.

, llnasmuch as the crank arm 32 is lloose-ly keyed om the shaft 30 between the forks 28 and 29 of the trame 22,this crank arm 35 32 slides along the shaft 30 when the trame t3 between the blocksdd' 22 is adjusted, by manipulating the indicator 2l, andthe roller 33 bears against the depending arm 27 in any position of adjustment ot the trame 22. When therefore, the shaft 30 is partially rotated, as before indicated, the crank arm 33 moves therewith and moves'the trame 22 forwardly on t-he stem 58, therebyv projecting the upper end of the arm 35 forwardly into the rear end of the adjacent magazine 8 and as this'arm does so it engages the rear end Vof the lowermost package 9 in the magazine and slides the 'package forwardly until the front end thereot projects through the slot l5 in the iront ot the machine, suiliciently to be lgrasped and withdrawn bythe purchaser. As soon as this package is withdrawn the stack ot articles remaining in the magazine drops down and it the trame 22 has not been returned yto the normal position betere the article purchased is withdrawn, the pressure ot the stach ot articles 9 tips the arm 35 forwardly, as shown by dotted lines-in Fig. 2, thereby allowing this arm to be freely returned to the normal position.

F rom the foregoing it will be noted that l have provided a vending machine which is simple in form and may be constructed at a very small expense, particularly as the same coin control and ejecting mechanism is utilized tor the entire number ot magazines, therebyavoiding duplication oit parts, the

yejecting mechanism' being Vmerely shittable titl and capable ot operation by the coin conf t-rolled mechanism in all 'positions to which it isfcapable ot being'adjusted. llrhile ll have shown4 and described my invention in a' preferred form, ll am aware that various changes and modications ma be made without departing from the principles ot the invention, the scope ot which is to be determined trom the appended claims..

l claim as my invention? llll l.. lin a vending machine, the combination ot arplurality otstationary magazines, each adapted to contain a number ot articles superposed one above the other, ejecting means adapted. to be selectively adjusted to a corresponding position adjacent the lower endot each magazine; and a coin controlled device tor actuating said means to edect the j removal of the article from the magazine.

2. ln a vending machine, the combination of a plurality dt stationary magazines, each adapted to contain a number ot articles, means adapted to be selectively positioned adjacent each magazine andoperable to remove an article trom the magazine adjacent to which it is positioned,and a member renselected dered edective by inserting a coin in the` Y machine to act-nate said ejecting means.

\ 3. /ln a vending machine, the combination .Anal

i of'af plurality ofv stationary magazines arranged side by side, each adapted to contain a number 'of articles and having an outlet at the bottom, an ejector having an adjusting member at the exterior of the machine where- A'bythe .ejector may be selectively positioned adjacent 'each magazine, and a coin controlled actuating device adapted to 'operate the ejector in the various positions of adjusti by'side and each having an outlet at the botl `outlet at thel bottom of the magazine.

A 4. In a vending machine, the combination of a plurality ofmagazines arrangedl side i tom thereof, a coin controlled operating mechanism having a shaft extending in proximity to each magazine, and an ejecting mechanism slidably mounted on said shaft so as to be selectively positioned adjacent each magazine and operable by said shaft in its adjusted 'positions to eject an article from the magazine adjacent to which it is positioned.

5. In a vending machine, the combination of a plurality of magazines, each adapted to contain a number of articles in superposed relation and each having lan outlet at the bottom through which articles are removable from the magazine to the exterior of the machine, a shaft having an ejecting mechanism slidably mounted thereon. so as to be selectively adjusted along the shaft to ositions adjacent theVY magazines and operab e in the adjusted positions by. the shaft to eject the lowermost article from the magazine through the aforesaid outlet, means normally ineffective for operating theV shaft to actuate the ej ectingmechanism, and means for vintroducing' a coin from the exterior of the machine so as to .render'the operating mechanism etl'ective to actuate the shaft.

6. Ina vending machine, `the combination ofaj, plurality of magazinesarranged side "by/side, each having a bottom wall with a.

slot at therear extending under the maga- "5 zine Vand each having an opening in the front wall adjacent .the Vbottom through which .50

v articles maybe removed, an'ejector movable "Em/along therear of the magazines so as to be gselectivelyfpositionedto register with the slots andhaving a finger operable in the slot to eject-an article ,from the magazine 65, f'a'jcoin y"contr'olledjfd''evice for ac tua tin,f 1,"thev f ej ecting mechanism 'inV the various 'lof ad'ustment gf: the latter.`

' 7'. n a vending machine, 'the 'combination' arranged side '-side, `a ldisplay compartthronghjfsaid opening, inthe ffront wall, and

positions ofa cabinet 'a plurality of magazines ment infront of each-` magazine, a transpar- 'ent wall vin..front ofeach'display compartment, 'an 'ejectingfmechanism having an operating meniber'ate the front4 ofthe machineA and slidable transversely of the machine under the display compartments for'adjus'ting the ejecting mechanism adjacent the magazine which corresponds to the compartment at which the operating member is positioned, and a coin controlled operating mechanism for operating the eject-ing mechanism.

8. In a vending machine, the combination of a plurality of magazines arranged side by side, a frame selectively adjustable to positions adjacent each magazine and operable inthe adjusted position to eject an article l jacent the lower end offeach magazine for selectively ejecting articles from the magazlnes, and coin control means whereby the ejector is manually operable to expel a package from theiselected magazine.

l0. In a vending machine, the combination of a plurality of magazines, an ejector adapted to be optlonally positioned adjacent each magazine for expelling an article from the selected magazine, an operating lever projecting outside the machine and normally capable of movement independently of the ejector, and means rendered operative by lnserting a coin in the machine to afford a connection between the ejector and operating member so that normal ineffective movement of the latter operates the ejector. n.11. In a vending machine, the combination of a plurality of magazines, each adapted to contain a plurality of articles in superposed relation, a carriage movable vtransversely of the magazine, a handle proje'cting outside the machine for moving the carriage, an ejector mounted on the carriage pivotally mounted ,on thecarriage and nor- .mally held m an upright. position for ejecting articles from the magazines and adapted to be automatically thrown down below the bottom ofthe' magazines by the Weight of the articles therein after the expelling oper- 4 ation is comleted. f ERT CRAIG BURNHAM. 

